Originally Posted by
patmcpsu
It's obvious that customers don't mind it, or else the practice wouldn't take over entire markets (i.e: Vegas, Waikii).
While I agree these are like a virus, I don't see how you can conclude customers don't mind them. The fact is that consumers have little choice. Waikiki hotels enjoy constant demand independent of product quality, which helps to explain why most of the properties are subpar compared to what you will find elsewhere. They can still fill a crappy unrenovated property with package tour guests even without offering any meaningful elite benefits.
Originally Posted by
patmcpsu
It won't end unless the government outlaws it as deceptive marketing (and I'm not sure if that's actually warranted).
IMO it's totally warranted. DOT requires "all in" airfare pricing for exactly this reason - it's inherently deceptive to market a price that doesn't include required add-ons.